Part 2 - Tools

For all that follows the same rules apply as written in the Introduction:

The main purpose of this part is to collect and describe several recommandable Tools regarding the Copfilter-Addon for IPCop 1.4.2x (abbreviated: V1) and 1.9.x/2.x (abbreviated: V2).

If problems occur while using these tools, please open a new thread in the Copfilter-Forum or send us (karesmakro, severus, fischerm) a PM (Private Message) via Copfilter Forum.
Any requests for changes or extensions will be taken in account.

Please note:

The line informations regarding code changes may not necessarily be *absolutely*, so always use search functions for text or code-passages.

This comes with absolutely no functional guarantees!

ATTENTION!

Extensive knowledge about the working(s) of the IPCop-Firewall and Copfilter in general, plus extensive Linux experiences are an absolute must for using the tools that are described!

This is not for novices to experiment, you need to know what you are doing and what the consequences may be…

A full backup, a functioning restore, and the willingness to reinstall a defective IPCop-system are prerequisites!

1. Wget - Downloadmanager

Description

GNU Wget is a free software package for retrieving files using HTTP, HTTPS and FTP, the most widely-used Internet protocols. It is a non-interactive commandline tool, so it may easily be called from scripts, cron jobs, terminals without X-Windows support, etc.

GNU Wget has many features to make retrieving large files or mirroring entire web or FTP sites easy, including:
Can resume aborted downloads, using REST and RANGE
Can use filename wild cards and recursively mirror directories
NLS-based message files for many different languages
Optionally converts absolute links in downloaded documents to relative, so that downloaded documents may link to each other locally
Runs on most UNIX-like operating systems as well as Micky Mouse Windows
Supports HTTP proxies
Supports HTTP cookies
Supports persistent HTTP connections
Unattended background operation
Uses local file timestamps to determine whether documents need to be re-downloaded when mirroring
GNU Wget is distributed under the GNU General Public License.

Tip

This way you can test the quality of your internet connection.

Log in as 'root' and download an arbitrary, somewhat larger file. In my example I used '\tmp' as target-directory and a german Knoppix-mirror-server. The downloaded ISO file can afterwards be deleted. For this test only the download rate is important, in this case it corresponds to a reasonably good-humored 4400er DSL line…*

Screenshot

*And yes, I know - we're living in the country…

Other parameters you need only in special cases, the command

wget --help

provides an overview of all command line options.

2. gVim - Unix-Texteditor for Windows

Description

Since editing Unix files on Windows is always something to be problematic (different line break conventions have many scripts rendered useless, not to mention the handling of control characters), here is the alternative for Windows users in the form of an Unix editor.
In connection with a binary (=unchanged) transmission of data through WinSCP, gVim is one of the best editors for editing Unix files on a Windows machine.
The package includes a full-screen and a command line version, syntax highlighting is self-evident in both variants.

Instructions

Screenshot

Notes

To get into insert mode, you must press “i” (as in vi).
Most keyboard shortcuts are adapted to Windows (eg Copy&Paste) that means, they don't correspond to the familiar 'vi'. This can certainly be changed in the configuration.
The program is translated into various languages (including German).
Of course, there are versions for various operating systems..

Download and Installation

Screenshot

Notes

In any case (even and especially in text files, scripts, etc.!) the binary transfer mode has to be preferred. Correct file handling - on Windows - has to be guaranteed through careful selection of the editor being used.
gVim is one of the most reliable partners for working with Unix-text files.
A PuTTY-Session can be started with the touch of a button and you can even transfer PuTTY-credentials so you don't need to login again under PuTTY.

Attention:

The remote file view is being cached! Changes - especially if not initiated in WinSCP - will be visible only after pressing the Refresh button (recycle symbol)!

5. Midnight Commander

Homepage

FAQ

Description

GNU Midnight Commander is a visual file manager, licensed under GNU General Public License and therefore qualifies as Free Software. It's a feature rich full-screen text mode application that allows you to copy, move and delete files and whole directory trees, search for files and run commands in the subshell. Internal viewer and editor are included.

Screenshot

5.1. Midnight Commander (sfeddersen)

Information

Version: 0.0.8 (4.7.0-pre1) - for IPCop V1

The Midnight Commander is a directory browser/file manager for Unix-like operating systems.

Notes

First you open settings and select “Lynx-like motion”.Enter following command sequence:[F9] (Menu), [Alt]+[o] (Options), [Alt]+[c] (Configuration…), maneuver with the cursor keys, [Space] (Select).Or use mouse…This option means that you can use the cursor keys left and right to change the directory level.You can take an easy look into archive files. Simply select the archive and press [Enter]. Depending on the size and number of files it takes a moment, once the file is open, you can handle files as if you were working on file-level, using [F3], [F5] and so on…

6. HashTab

Homepage

Description

Under windows there is no way to check out the various file checksums.
What is missing, is a small program which can compare a known checksum with the corresponding file checksum of a downloaded file (eg specified on the download page).

HashTab solves this in a very elegant manner: it provides an additional tab in the file context menu. It displays and compares the current file with another file or a known hash. It could hardly be easier!